la shells



(No MdaLj ZSheets-Sheet 1. A. 'P. LA SHELLS.

ed Jan. 181 1 2 SheetsSheet 2.

I (No Model.)

' A. 1"; L SHELLS.

'- REVOLVING PLOW.

mpssmm, Patented Jan. 1a, 1887.

FIG. 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED F. LA SHELLS, F Bless, CALIFORNIA.

REVOLVING PLOW.

SPECIFICATION'forming part of Letters Patent No. 356,284, dated January 18, 1887. I Application filed November 3, 1836. Serial No. 2l7.9l6. (No model I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED F. LASHELLS, of Biggs, Butte county, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Revolving Flows; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to that class of revolving plows in which a rotating head or cylinder is provided with suitable plow bottoms or shares; and my invention consists in the head or cylinder provided with the series of spirally-arranged separate or individual plow bottoms, shares, or blades hereinafter fully described.

My invention further consists of said head with its shares in connection with a suitabie wheeled frame, upon the rear end of which it ismonnted, and power-transmitting mechanism by which it is rotated, the power being derived either from an engine on the frame, which also causes the progression of the machine, or from draft-animals through traction, all of which I shall hereinafter fully explain. The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efieetive revolving plow.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a morecomplete explanation of my invention, Figure 1 is a plan of my machine. Fig. 2 is aview of the cylinder with its plowshares. Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofone of theplowshares. Fig. 4 isa detail of the steering mechanism.

A is a frame mounted upon wheels B, and having the steering-wheel b in front.

. C is an engine upon the frame, from the driving-shaft of which a belt, 0, extends to a pulley, d, on a counter-shaft, D, mounted transversely on the frame. Upon said shaft are pul- 0 leys d, from which belts E extend to pulleys c on the axles of the main wheels B of the mach'ne, whereby the progression of said machine is; effected. I p 'F is a cylinder-head, thg central shaft, f, of

'which is mounted on therear of the frame, and has pulleysf, from which belts f extend .to the pulleys d on the counter-shaft D, whereby rotationis imparted to said cylinder-head. v G'are the plow bottoms, shares, or blades,

mounted upon the cylinder-head by means of suitable braces-or arms, g. These plowshares pieces, and ca are of a diamond or rhomboidal shape, as shown in Fig. 3, their faces being concave. They are arranged upon the cylinder-head at about the angle shown and in several series in a spiral course, like the multiplex thread of a screw, corresponding plows in each series being in the same vertical planes. Thosein each series are placed close enough together that their vertical planes transversely through the head are practically continuous by coming close together, and the vertical longitudinal planes of the ends of each series lie close to the vertical planes of the preceding and succeeding series, whereby, though the plows are separated and are individual shares, they as a whole approximately cover the area over which they pass.

It is obvious that-,instead of belts for transmitting motion to the cylinder-head, I may use gears, if found preferable.

The operation of the machine is as follows: By means of the engine the progression of the machine is effected, and at the same time direct power is transmitted to rotate thecylinder-head forwardly, so that its plowshares travel in the direction of the travel of the machine. The plowshares are so arranged upon the cylinder-head that in moving forward and then downwardly they take the ground with their foremost points and cut it, and as they out they turn the earth over completely. This movement and the resistance which the ground affords, instead of impeding the progress of the machine, serve to assist it in the same manner as the paddle-wheel of a stern-wheel steamer. The plows, being individual separate shares, cut the ground at short distances, thus preventing the formation of the large lumps which are left by the ordinary dragplow method. In this latter method, when the ground is at all sticky, it is obvious that as the single share advances in a direct line the ground which is turned over to one side by the mold-board may and does adhere for a greater or less distance, and when dry it forms a large and solid clod; but with my plow this is obviously not the case, for the plows in the same vertical plane succeed each other at such short distances that the ground is cut into small ch piece turned over by the plows as they succeed each other, thus avoiding all clods and making straight parallel furrows.

My machine should not be confounded with barrows and cnltivators in which rotating cyl- 5 inder-heads are provided with barrow-spikes or cultivator blades or teeth. These machines simply scratch the ground, and do not in any sense plow it; nor can they be used for the purpose of plowing. My shares e perfect plows in their construction and ope tion, and they accomplish the true work ofplowingnamely, the cut-ting and complete turning over of the earth. Their operation, is the reverse in direction to that of the ordinary drag-plow, as

they take and cut the ground from above backwardly, while the ordinary plow takes the ground from underneath andforwardly, and

is therefore, what its name implies, a drag or resisting influence to the progress of the machine or implement; but, as I have before ,stated, my plows rather accelerate than impede the machine. It will also be seen that the direction of plowing is in the direction of travel of the machine, and in this it differs from those other revolving plowsin which the cylinder-head and for advancing the machine, as I may derive the power for rotating said head from the traction of the wheels, effecting the progress of the machine itself by horses or other draft animals.

In Fig. 4 I show the means I would employ for steering the machine. The spindle b of the wheel is provided with aworm -gear, b, on its top, with which meshes a worm-gear, b, operated by a crank-wheel, b.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a revolving plow, the wheeled frame and an engine by which its progress is effected, in combination with the cylinder-head monnted on the rear of the frame, power-transmib ting mechanism from the engine by which said head is rotated, and the series of spirally-arranged separate or individual plow bottoms or shares carried by said head, substantially as herein described.

2. In a revolving plow, the rotating cylinder-head, in combination with the diamond shaped or rhomboidal concave faced plow- 6o shares travel on an endless belt and at right shares and the bent braces or arms by which angles to the course of the machine. 7

I do not confine myself to the employment of a solid cylinder-head such as I have here 30 shown, for I may make it of a lighter construction, as by the employment of independ ent hubs or rims keyed upon a common shaft and each carrying its complement of plowshares. Nor do Iconfine myself to the em- 35 ployment of a steam-engine for operating the said shares are secured at the proper angle to the cylinder-head, substantially as herein described.

In witness hand.

ALFRED F. LA SHELLS. Witnesses:

S. H. N OURSE, H. 0. LEE.

whereof I have herennto'set my 

